Ariel Helwani attempts to be voice of reason amid rising tension between Ryan Garcia and Oscar De La Hoya

HelwaniThe MMA Hour host Ariel Helwani attempted to be the voice of reason as Ryan Garcia and boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya engaged in a war of words on social media. Garcia has been incredibly critical of his now-former team following his seventh-round TKO loss to Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis in April. Garcia attended the […]

Helwani

The MMA Hour host Ariel Helwani attempted to be the voice of reason as Ryan Garcia and boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya engaged in a war of words on social media.

Garcia has been incredibly critical of his now-former team following his seventh-round TKO loss to Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis in April. Garcia attended the post-fight press event without members of his coaching staff and even revealed that a double agent in his camp had been feeding information to Davis prior to their clash at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. As a result, Garcia separated from coach Joe Goossen and has remained openly critical of his team who he alleges walked away from him following the loss to Davis.

“I lost, I’ve seen everybody leave me, and then I just gotta see who’s really there for me,” Garcia told fitness influencer, Bradley Martyn. “After the fight, nobody was there for me, like, my team, but just didn’t come to the press conference and go do nothing, you know what I mean? I was left with somebody betrayed me in camp, they weren’t trying to look out for me after the fight. It was like, I was left with that. It was the worst, and ‘Tank’s team really care about me more than my own team.”

More than two months removed from suffering his first career defeat, Ryan Garcia has remained vocal, much to the chagrin of boxing legend and Golden Boy Promotions founder Oscar De La Hoya. Taking to Twitter, De La Hoya ripped into Garcia, telling him to take responsibility for the loss and the consequences that followed.

Oscar De La Hoya Has Heard Enough of Ryan Garcia’s Complaints, Ariel Helwani Attempts to Intervene

“Wtf @RyanGarcia it’s been almost two months and youre still crying about the post presser? The blame for your loss is on YOU and your “advisor” Lupe,” De La Hoya tweeted. “He is the only one who pushed you to accept that INSANE rehydration clause and THAT is the reason you lost. Man up. Own that.”

De La Hoya wasn’t quite done, adding a follow-up Tweet that read, “Also, you keep saying “tanks team offered more support for you” blah blah blah. Bro they SET YOU UP TO LOSE with that rehydration clause and most importantly…AL HAYMON DIDNT EVEN SHOW UP THE ENTIRE WEEK. Actually, he NEVER shows up. How’s that for “support”???”

The very public spat prompted Ariel Helwani to step in as the voice of reason, suggesting the two parties take their differences and discuss them behind closed doors like professionals.

“Horrible look to be publicly fighting with your biggest star,” Helwani tweeted in response. “Regardless of who’s wrong or right, keep this in house.”

Ryan Garcia is now 23-1 following the loss to ‘Tank’ Davis. Garcia later admitted that the grueling weight cut matched with the hydration clause in the fight contract ultimately led to him being less than 100% going into the contest. Garcia is now eyeing a potential move to super lightweight in an effort to avoid the exhaust cut going forward.

Joe Rogan asks WWE icon Ric Flair if he’s ‘Scared’ of Ariel Helwani after hilarious misunderstanding

Joe Rogan Ric FlairWWE legend Ric Flair recently appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast, and the two icons shared some hilarious moments while also discussing Dana White and Ariel Helwani. While legends in their own separate industries, the two icons sat down for what was an epic podcast that just so happened to feature one of the funniest misunderstandings […]

Joe Rogan Ric Flair

WWE legend Ric Flair recently appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast, and the two icons shared some hilarious moments while also discussing Dana White and Ariel Helwani.

While legends in their own separate industries, the two icons sat down for what was an epic podcast that just so happened to feature one of the funniest misunderstandings that the Joe Rogan Experience has featured in a long time.

The clip making waves in the MMA world is a short one-minute snippet that starts off with Joe Rogan talking about his relationship with his longtime friend and UFC president Dana White. “I can call Dana at one o’clock in the morning,” Rogan began. “We’ll talk for three hours about fights. Just talk.”

Suddenly, the legend himself, Ric Flair, decides to bring up Ariel Helwani, and that’s when things take a turn for the extremely comical. “Ariel has a good job with him (Dana White), right?” Flair asked.

Ric Flair hilariously mistakes Ariel Helwani for UFC employee and former fighter on Joe Rogan’s podcast

“Ariel Helwani?” Rogan asked, doing a good job of not laughing. It was major news many years ago, but Ariel Helwani and Dana White notoriously broke bad after Helwani leaked UFC news that he was essentially supposed to keep secret.

Dana White and the UFC were extremely angry because, according to them, the UFC was going to release the news themselves, and Helwani violated their trust by choosing to break the news. Helwani was then permanently banned from attending UFC events, media days, press conferences, and basically anything UFC-run.

This is pretty much common knowledge in the industry. Helwani himself brings it up all the time and has famously said he did wonder if it was going to ruin his career, but he chose to persevere and has done extremely well for a professional journalist banned from attending UFC events.

“Ariel Helwani is independent now,” Rogan explained. “He does his own thing… He doesn’t get along with Dana… I don’t have a problem with Ariel. I like Ariel. His show is great… He was with FOX for a while. He was with ESPN for a while… I know his show is very successful.”

The conversation continues to flow before things take a hilarious turn. Flair is about to make a factual blunder that doesn’t really mean anything but is pretty funny to look back on. “I just saw him at WrestleMania,” Ric Flair said. “Ariel is pretty tough, too, right?”

“Is he? I don’t know, I don’t think he ever fought. I don’t even know if he trains,” Joe Rogan answered, kind of chuckling.

“Oh, he didn’t? Well, god. He looks like he did,” Flair responded. Joe Rogan had to chime in here and ask Flair if he was “Scared of him (Ariel Helwani),” to which ‘The Nature Boy’ Ric Flair immediately said, “No.”

“Well, what are you trying to say?” Rogan asked as laughter broke out in the room. Ric Flair does a great job of keeping a straight face even though he had facts a little jumbled and confused. “He looks like he did (fight),” Flair said. “I thought he did fight at one time… He’s well built; he’s very well spoken too.”

The clip ends, and while the things Flair said are harmless, it is pretty funny and endearing to see a living legend like Ric Flair appear so human and get some MMA facts wrong. Humans have a knack for putting people on a pedestal, and when a living icon like ‘The Natureboy’ appears on Joe Rogan’s podcast and gets some facts wrong and looks a bit like an MMA casual, it does come across as very funny, but also extremely endearing to see that happen and realize even people’s idols are just regular humans too.

What do you think of Ric Flair’s funny blunder on Joe Rogan’s podcast, and do you think Ric Flair should be “scared of” Ariel Helwani?

Paddy Pimblett scoffs at future peace offering with Ariel Helwani: ‘He tried to ruin my career’

Paddy Pimblett claims Ariel Helwani tried to ruin his career ahead of UFC 282UFC lightweight contender, Paddy Pimblett has shot the idea of a future rekindling with mixed martial arts journalist, Ariel Helwani, claiming the Canadian reporter “tried to ruin” his career in the build up to his UFC 282 fight with Jared Gordon last December. Pimblett, yet to crack the top-15 of the official lightweight rankings under […]

Paddy Pimblett claims Ariel Helwani tried to ruin his career ahead of UFC 282

UFC lightweight contender, Paddy Pimblett has shot the idea of a future rekindling with mixed martial arts journalist, Ariel Helwani, claiming the Canadian reporter “tried to ruin” his career in the build up to his UFC 282 fight with Jared Gordon last December.

Pimblett, yet to crack the top-15 of the official lightweight rankings under the promotion’s banner, most recently featured in the co-main event of UFC 282 back in December of last year, landing a close, debated decision win over the above-mentioned, Gordon.

However, in the lead-up to the co-headlining slot, Pimblett and Canadian mixed martial arts journalist, Helwani were embroiled in a heated spat, with Pimblett claiming that the latter had attempted to use fighters to earn money and revenue for himself in the form of non-paid interviews.

With the verbal back-and-forth spilling across fight week and the days after Paddy Pimblett’s fourth Octagon victory, the two have yet to reconcile following their public spat. And according to former Cage Warriors featherweight champion, Pimblett, he has no interest in potentially mending bridges in the future.

“The Ariel (Helwani) stuff, people turned on me for telling the truth about Ariel, lad, it’s crazy,” Paddy Pimblett told Severe MMA. “I’ve got all that [receipts]. I’ve got all that on me phone. This ‘receipts’ thing is the maddest shout ever… At the time, I actually considered Ariel a friend. Obviously, a I was never a friend to him. He saw me as a pound sign.” 

“The annoying thing about that was people saying to me,’You’ve just been bullying Ariel and you’ve started an anti-bullying charity.’ My charity isn’t an anti-bullying charity, for one. It’s just a foundation to help people, Two, I haven’t bullied Ariel at all… I said this the other day, I shouldn’t have called him names. I shouldn’t have. …I shouldn’t have said nasty words. Everything else was the truth. He tried to assassinate my character.” (Transcribed by MMA News)

Paddy Pimblett expected to miss 2023 UFC schedule

Expected to remain sidelined for the remainder of this year, PImblett claimed he would be “lucky” to compete in 2023, having undergone a surgical procedure to address an ankle injury suffered in his controversial judging win over Gordon. 

Robert Whittaker hoping to secure third fight with UFC rival Israel Adesanya: ‘I wanna beat him for the title’

Robert Whittaker calls for third fight with Israel Adesanya I wanna beat him for title UFCFormer middleweight champion Robert Whittaker says he is persistent to defeat anyone in the way of a trilogy with Israel Adesanya. ‘The Reaper’ has had a very eventful and successful UFC career, but much of it has been overlooked due to his history with current champion Adesanya. Since 2014, Robert Whittaker has torn through the […]

Robert Whittaker calls for third fight with Israel Adesanya I wanna beat him for title UFC

Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker says he is persistent to defeat anyone in the way of a trilogy with Israel Adesanya.

‘The Reaper’ has had a very eventful and successful UFC career, but much of it has been overlooked due to his history with current champion Adesanya.

Since 2014, Robert Whittaker has torn through the division, only falling short to Adesanya during that time period.

Speaking with Ariel Helwani on the MMA Hour, Robert Whittaker admitted that it could potentially be difficult to convince the UFC and its fans why a trilogy would be necessary, therefore he is prepared to eliminate anyone in his way out of title contention.

“I understand the position that I’m in. I understand that I fought him twice and I want that third fight. And if I have to ruin a lot of other people’s days to get it then I’ll do that.

The Australian fighter says winning back his UFC gold was always the goal, but following UFC 287 he became laser focused on specifically taking it back from Adesanya.

“I really want to fight ‘Izzy’ again. I really want to fight him specifically,” Whittaker said. “I wanna beat him for the title. 

With many overlooking his chances at a title due to his knockout and decision losses to ‘The Last Stylebender’, fans often forget that no one else has really been able to solve the Whittaker puzzle.

He may not be getting any younger but at 32-years-old it’s safe to say he may still have plenty in the tank.

Bobby Knuckles first went head-to-head against Adesanya in a record-setting Oceania spectacle with over 57,000 people in attendance.

Robert Whittaker targets summer UFC return

With Adesanya likely sending Alex Pereira on his way to light heavyweight, a new door has been opened for contending sharks at 185 and Dana White says Adesanya has been in constant contact asking for his next opponent.

Ariel Helwani: ‘Valentina Shevchenko Shouldn’t Get An Immediate Rematch’

MMA reporter Ariel Helwani doesn’t believe that an immediate rematch between Valentina Shevchenko and Alexa Grasso is the right way for the UFC to go. This past weekend, Grasso delivered one of the biggest upsets in recent memory. The Mexican sec…

MMA reporter Ariel Helwani doesn’t believe that an immediate rematch between Valentina Shevchenko and Alexa Grasso is the right way for the UFC to go. This past weekend, Grasso delivered one of the biggest upsets in recent memory. The Mexican secured her status as her nation’s first-ever female champion on MMA’s biggest stage — and…

Continue Reading Ariel Helwani: ‘Valentina Shevchenko Shouldn’t Get An Immediate Rematch’ at MMA News.

Ariel Helwani Describes Physical Altercation With Ali Abdelaziz: “Leave My Fighters’ Name Out Your F***in’ Mouth!”

Renowned mixed martial arts reporter Ariel Helwani has recalled a physical altercation he had with prominent manager Ali Abdelaziz. Although MMA usually sees rivalries emerge inside the cage and ahead of collisions between two athletes, the fighters ar…

Renowned mixed martial arts reporter Ariel Helwani has recalled a physical altercation he had with prominent manager Ali Abdelaziz. Although MMA usually sees rivalries emerge inside the cage and ahead of collisions between two athletes, the fighters are not the only individuals in the space who can develop animosity. Helwani, who’s had his fair share of…

Continue Reading Ariel Helwani Describes Physical Altercation With Ali Abdelaziz: “Leave My Fighters’ Name Out Your F***in’ Mouth!” at MMA News.